


Roman-à-clef

by meletes_muse



Category: Sanctuary (TV), Upstairs Downstairs (2011)
Genre: 1936, Crossover, F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-26
Updated: 2018-05-26
Packaged: 2019-05-13 10:25:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14747069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meletes_muse/pseuds/meletes_muse
Summary: Helen gets her hands on a copy of ‘The Golden Blaze’, a “torrid tale of unnatural female passions”.A Sanctuary/Upstairs Downstairs crossover.[Above quotation from the fictional newspaper review of the fictional lesbian romp, ‘The Golden Blaze’ in Upstairs Downstairs s02e03, A Perfect Specimen of Womanhood.]





	Roman-à-clef

Helen shivers slightly as she reads, pulse quickening, breath coming in short little gasps, and that familiar, but all too rare, thrum of building heat that accompanies desire. As she drinks in the words, she lifts a hand to lightly caress her neck, imagining the delicious, lingering touches of a woman. She can feel the dry heat of Egypt on her skin, the thrill of discovery, the sharp whisper of hot sand. _Rosalind’s body was being filled with spices —_

“What’s that you’re reading, my dear?”

Helen starts, snapping the book shut with a soft _thwump_. James’ brows are quirked mischievously upwards. He’s still in his evening wear: Helen must have been so ensconced in her book that she didn’t hear him arrive home, much less enter the study. 

The fire cracks in the potent silence, and Helen shifts on the divan, cheeks flushed. “Just something I picked up from the bookstore earlier.”

James regards her with a strange expression, but nods, seemingly accepting of her response. “Brandy?”

Helen fiddles with her hair. “Please.”

When he moves to the sideboard to fetch their drinks, she slips the book under a cushion. “How is the Duke?” 

“Oh, you know how he gets,” James gestures vaguely as he pours the brandy, “but the palace is abuzz with some scandalous gossip.” 

“Oh?”

“Mmm,” he turns, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively, “A rather salacious novel, _The Golden Blaze_ , has appeared in print. The _Express_ is calling it a ‘torrid tale of unnatural female passions.’”

Helen snorts, quietly.

“I don’t suppose you’ve heard of it?”

Helen accepts her brandy, but says nothing. From the way James is looking at her, he already knows the answer. The man’s far too perceptive by half. Besides, he probably just wants to steal her copy so he can read it himself. 

“I also have it on good authority,” James goes on in a conspiratorial tone as he sits down next to her on the divan, “that the author is none other than the esteemed Lady Alresford, though I did think her pseudonym rather ingenious.”

Helen doesn’t even try to hide her interest now. “From the dig in Cairo?”

“The very same.”

_But that must mean —_

“Blanche Mottershead is Evelyn,” Helen blurts, finally fitting all the pieces together. “ _It was the hair that Rosalind saw first_...”

Realising her mistake, she turns to a rather smug James. She blushes, shaking her head, “You’re a cheeky devil, James Watson!”

James concedes the point with a small smile. He sips his brandy. “I just like watching the very proper Helen Magnus squirm.”

Helen huffs, “I’ve never been very proper.” 

“No,” James allows, patting her leg, “but you do try so.”

Helen gives him a sidelong glance, swirling her drink.

“Is it any good?” James asks.

“Is what any good?”

“The book?”

Helen’s blushing furiously now. She looks away. 

“Oh, Helen,” James gives her leg a gentle squeeze, “you know I won’t think any less of you. It’s not as though I don’t know you’ve had female lovers.”

“Yes, well.”

They’re both silent for a moment. Helen sighs, shaking her head. “It’s rather wonderful, actually. To read of two women, together, in love...”

She sighs, deflating a little. 

“One day,” James’ voice is sure, “the world will be different, and we’ll be free to love whom we please. You’ll see it, darling, I’m sure of it.”

Helen turns, offering him a small smile. “I hope so James,” she shifts towards him, leaning her head on his shoulder, “I truly hope so.”

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Italicised quotations from ‘The Golden Blaze’, are from Upstairs Downstairs, s02e03, A Perfect Specimen of Womanhood 
> 
> This episode of Upstairs Downstairs also has some absolutely gorgeous Blanche/Portia dialogue.


End file.
